“Days of Our Lives” fans were left stunned when news broke that Kristian Alfonso was leaving the NBC daytime drama after 37 years. Now, the actress who brought Hope Brady to the screen is revealing more of her reasons for why she left and has dropped another bomb in regards to her legacy character’s future.

In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, the actress discussed her surprising exit, revealing it was only supposed to be temporary at first, but when she was told the plan for her character, she opted to instead make it a permanent departure.

Alfonso revealed that executive producer Ken Corday had told her there was a plan to write Hope out of the storyline for four or five months, before bringing her back for a storyline with a Navy Seal, but hearing that made her realize the time had come to actually leave the show instead.

“And at that moment I thought to myself, you know what, it’s time for a change and it was the perfect moment to make that decision,” she said. “I was taken aback when he said that they wanted, he and [producer] Albert wanted to take me off camera for four to five months. It was not something that had ever been discussed but that’s what it was, and to come back in five to six months, or four to five months—whatever that time frame was--I just thought, you know what, it’s time to really write a new chapter. I’ve had an incredible run there. I’ve had so many amazing friends and memories. I cannot say enough how I’ll miss so many people working there and working with them, but they are in my life and we do socialize, but like I said, I think it’s time.”

However, Alfonso also revealed that unlike other legacy characters whose actors have made occasional guest appearances on the soap since their departures, like Allison Sweeney’s Sami Brady, she will not be doing the same thing, and since as of now there are no plans to recast Hope, it should be the last time fans will see her.

“I think that that chapter has closed and a new one needs to be started,” she said.

Her comments came as fans continued to speculate if her departure was related to the entire cast being released from their contracts at the end of 2019 as the show’s renewal was discussed with NBC. That same situation led to the confirmed firings and departures of Galen Gering (Rafe Hernandez), Chandler Massey (Will Horton) and Freddie Smith (Sonny Kiriakis). It is also part of the reason why speculation has indicated that both Victoria Konefal (Ciara Brady) and Gabi Hernandez (Camila Banus) are also exiting.

“Days of Our Lives” airs weekdays on NBC.

Days of Our Lives Cast News
Kristian Alfonso has confirmed she is leaving “Days of Our Lives.” Galen Gering also previously confirmed his departure from the NBC soap. Both actors are pictured in a scene from the show as their characters, Rafe Hernandez and Hope Brady. XJ Johnson/JPI Studios for NBC
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